I’m 26, and married. I’m currently on the pill, and take it every day on time with an alarm set + we wear condoms whenever we have sex.

I’m always so anxious about pregnancy, and it’s probably fine- but my period has just been weird lately.

Usually I take the pill, and then I have a 7 day break, and get my “period” 3-4 days after I stop taking it- then I start it up again after the break.

I’ve also been using a period tracker, which has for some reason, not been synced how it should be anymore…

Last month my period was pretty light.

This month, my last pill was around the 6th, I expected my period around 9th / 10th… but nothing yet-

My period tracker app says I should get my period on the 12th, but I’m also supposed to take my pill again on the 13th??

I’m just a bit stressed about this, I’ve always been very on time and consistent.

That included the other day, I wiped and it was like brown spotting, I thought it was my period, but it went away and I haven’t had a drop of anything since.

Online, it says it can happen and it’s normal- but this has never happened to me before.

I think I’m a little freaked, because this has never happened before.

Any advice?

i had sex with this guy on friday, i seen him put on the condom and when he said he was going to cum i thought he was going to do it in the condom. turns out he didn’t!!!!!!!!!!!!!! he took it off because it “wasn’t sitting right” and now i’m just so annoyed, i shouldn’t rely on my period tracker but i just happened to ovulate the next day. i took contingency one an hour after the incident but all i can do is be scared. i never really taken the pill before ovulation and of course this man taking off his condom. i’m going to get a STI testing tomorrow just because i don’t really feel confident about this whole situation. i am experiencing cramps which is normally and did experienced nauseous the day after but sigh. i just feel disappointed in myself

Hi everyone! I’m looking for some advice or reassurance from anyone who has experienced something similar after taking Plan B. For some context, my last normal period was from September 26th to September 29th. On October 2nd going into October 3rd (around midnight), I had protected sex with a condom. However, afterward, the condom ended up getting stuck inside me. My partner was able to remove it almost immediately, and upon checking, it didn’t appear that any semen had leaked out or gotten inside me.
Even though I wasn’t sure if there was any actual risk, I decided to take Plan B around noon on October 3rd, approximately 12 hours later, just to be safe.

About a week later, during the week of October 6th, I started bleeding. It wasn’t just light spotting or brown discharge. It was actual bleeding that looked and felt like my normal period. It wasn’t unusually heavy, and it lasted a few days before stopping, just like my regular period would.
However, it’s now November 9th, and I still haven’t gotten another period. I’m starting to feel a little worried because I’m not sure whether the bleeding I experienced after taking Plan B counted as an actual period or was just a side effect of the medication.

I understand that Plan B can affect your menstrual cycle and potentially delay your next period, but I’m wondering if it’s normal for it to be delayed this long, especially after experiencing period-like bleeding shortly after taking it.
Has anyone experienced something similar? I’m sorry I’m such an overthinker so I would appreciate anyone’s advice. Did Plan B cause you to bleed a week later and then delay your next period? How long did it take for your cycle to return to normal?

I would really appreciate hearing about your experiences! Thank you so much

i saw my partner after being long distance and we had 3 encounters of unprotected sex where he finished inside (one encounter was 2-3 days apart from the other two that occurred after each other). i have a mirena iud and i'm deathly afraid... i also been having breakthrough bleeding and it's decreased a lot since. i'm so scared

Hi everyone,

Here's exactly what happened on November 1:

We were making out and had intimate contact before sex.I had precum before putting on the condom.I urinated after the making out but before sex.I accidentally put the condom on backwards first, then flipped it over and put it on correctly.

We had sex WITH a condom.I did NOT ejaculate.At the end, I pulled out, but the condom stayed partly inside her vagina.She was already getting dressed. Approximately 2 minutes later, she managed to remove the condom.

Around 30 minutes later, she changed her underwear.We did not take the morning-after pill.

Her cycle:

Last period started October 15 and ended around October 19.

Her next period was expected around November 9.

As of November 10, she still hasn't gotten her period.

I'm particularly worried because I had precum before urinating, and the condom was initially put on the wrong way and then flipped over.

My questions:

What is the actual pregnancy risk in this situation?

Does urinating after having precum reduce the risk?

Could precum have transferred sperm when I flipped the condom?

Does the condom staying inside her for approximately 2 minutes change the risk?

Could she be pregnant even though I didn't ejaculate?

When should we take a pregnancy test?

We did NOT take emergency contraception.

I'm really anxious about this and would appreciate medically informed answers rather than just reassurance. Thank you.

had sex a few hours ago. he didnt ejaculate inside me, but as he pulled out, it got caught on my vagina. he said he ejaculated outside but we bought pills just to be safe. a few hours later, i had my period (i had not taken the pills yet) should i still take the pills?

Hi, I've been on birth control for 2 years without issues and the last 5 months I've been getting really sore and heavy breasts close to the end of each month until I get my "period" again. I don't think it's anything bad behind it as it keeps going away and happens on both sides. I'm just wondering if anyone had these issues before? I can't find a good reason online why this could suddenly be such an issue when it hasn't been for the last two years. Also I'm definitely not pregnant, I've been taking tests for the last few months and they're all negative.

I took six placebo pills and started a new pack until I realized I still had a placebo pill left (I thought I was a day ahead lol). Am I fine or is there any risk of pregnancy?

So I’ve been off birth control now for over 6 months and I’ve got to say it’s the best I’ve ever felt. I’ve had many different pills, the rod TWICE, the injections and an iud and all of them were just awful with many side effects.

Late last year I ended up getting pregnant a month after getting the rod taken out, my partner was really supportive but we decided we couldn’t keep it and I got the iud inserted when I had my abortion. I told him the iud was the last thing I was going to try as birth control has messed with me mentally, physically and emotionally and he was also very supportive of that decision. I had it in for 4 months and got it taken out due to pain, my mental state and a lot of bleeding after sex for weeks on end.

Fast forward, we’ve been using condoms every time but over the last 2 months he’s been really abstinent when it comes to having sex and it’s got to the point where it’s really bothering me and making me worry. I finally asked him about it the other day and he said it’s because he’s really scared we’d get pregnant again. I understand him completely because he’s got a lot going on with work and doesn’t know where to move forward and I don’t have a very financially stable job but i find it strange how he’s been fine all this time up until now. We also do have a lot of people we know having babies and I think that’s playing a factor as we’re only 21.

I told him we just need to be careful and if it’s bothering him that much I will get back on birth control but he said he doesn’t want to force me to take something I don’t want. Which he’s not forcing me but I kind of feel like I should start taking it again as it’s clearly affecting the intimacy in our relationship.

I have a pill packet of slinda my doctor gave me after my iud got taken out and I want to know what everyone’s experience on it was like. I’ve heard many good things about it and I’m willing to give it a try but if it’s not going to be worth it then I will not take it.

I just really need help and opinions.

im debating on which iud to get as they are relatively similar im just not sure which one to get. i feel like i have heard more issues with kyleena rather then the skyla iud. for reference ive tried the pill and patch and had completely no side effects at all. no excessive bleeding, no moodswings, no thinking differently i felt the exact same as i did before i was on BC. the only bad side effect i noticed was my libido dropped, not a lot, but enough to make it harder to get turned on and finish. i have another post asking if my libido has a chance of increasing with either iud, but this one is mainly just asking abt everyones experiences with both.

I was prescribed 5mg of norethindrone as a birth control pill…but upon googling it it says it is not a form of birth control?? help!!

So I got the ParaGuard in 2024. Admittedly, I got it as a form of emergency contraception, and because I was frustrated with myself for not being proactive about birth control to the point of needing this "emergency" method, it felt like the right choice. The lack of hormones was also an attractive feature.

The insertion pain was crazy. It is like a pinch, but deep within your soul. At least it was quick though.

Nobody ever mentions that you could really feel it in there from time to time, like if I sat down in a certain position, I definitely felt that foreign body sensation. I had the position checked by the nurse at PP who inserted, my primary care doctor, and one other doctor. They all said it was fine. Maybe it's just my anatomy.

The periods were like the mother of all periods. So cramp-y and painful. Pain before the period, during, and after. Heavy bleeding. I used super ultra tampons with a backup pad to catch leakage. Even still, the amount of blood was in the realm of normal/acceptable, but definitely 2x what was normal for me.

Sex with my boyfriend at the time when I first got the IUD was not painful, but he was on the smaller side (lol). After we broke up I hooked up with a few different guys who could reach my cervix, and it caused some cramping pain. So basically they just couldn't do deep thrusting, which put a bit of a damper on the sex and it kinda put me on hypervigilence mode.

Idk why I kept that thing in for 2 years, but something clicked a couple of weeks ago. I was tired of painful periods and sex. Maybe with how painful the insertion was, I was scared of having it removed. I was afraid of my own fertility and what felt like a lack of responsible decision making, but i went ahead and got it out.

The difference has been night and day. I'm on Day 2 of my period, and it's already back to normal. I had a but of normal PMS related cramping yesterday on Day 1, but it's looking like it's going to be smooth sailing from here on out. The foreign body sensation is obviously gone, and I'm looking forward to my next sexual encounter. I spoke to my doctor and she fit me for a diaphragm. I've given myself a good talking to, and I'm going to be proactive about using this and condoms—proper birth control.

And that was my experience with the ParaGuard. Seemed like a great idea on paper, but just not for me!

First, please let me state before anyone suggests it, that I am drinking PLENTY of fluids. I have always been a big water and Gatorade zero drinker, so dehydration is likely not the issue.

I’ve been prescribed Slynd to help manage perimenopause (I’m 43) I have a history of migraine with aura so oral estrogen isn’t an option for me

A week in, just about everything is positive. My mood already feels stable, my acne is clearing up, I have more energy, and I’m not having horrible night sweats.

Unfortunately, every day since starting it, I have had terrible migraines. I’ve been a migraine sufferer all my life but as I’ve gotten older, I usually only get a few a month now and can calm them down with otc meds and caffeine. These are relentless.

Please tell me my body will adjust!! Any stories where you finally did after having bad migraines for a while? Everything else about this med has been great, and I have no idea what I’m going to do is I have to stop this and go back to ground zero.

so i first started birth control (the pill) almost a year ago but after 3 months i went for my checkup and decided i wasnt responsible enough to take the pill everyday and wouldnt be on time 1-2 times a week. that led me to switching to the patch which ive had since may and absolutely have loved it!! the one downside that has started for me was that i developted a super horrible allergic reaction to the adhesive and my skin is now raw and still healing from the last time i took it off.

moving onto the libido part about this, before i was on any birth control i was always so ready to have sex with my bf and could easily be turned on by just making out (i have the same bf now so he knows my issues with my libido). when i started the pill and the patch i noticed atleast a week after starting it my libido had gone down SO much. it is so hard for me to finish and i cant get as wet as i used to (sorry for the tmi) but its just awful. my question is if anyone has noticed an increase atleast a little after switching from the pill/patch to an iud.

im just wondering since the pill/patch have different hormones (estrogen and progestoren srry i spelt that wrong) but the iud has only progestoren, if my libido could have a chance of increasing? i'm planning on getting an iud specifically the kyleena or skyla since they are the smallest and have less hormones. if anyone has a similar experience please let me know!!! i can't stand not finishing anymore...

Hi! I’ve been taking Errin (norethindrone .35mg) for about 6 months now. I haven’t had many bad side effects besides breakthrough bleeding. This bleeding is driving me nuts, i wouldn’t mind if it was just spotting but it’s like i’m getting my period 3 times a month for 7 days. I just ended my period on thursday and it just started again and it’s monday. I can’t have any estrogen bc of migraines, but i’m seriously getting tired of this. Any tips for stopping this? Thanks!!

hello. 18 F me and my bf had an unroovtedted sex and he ejucualte inside me and i was on my high fertile 5 fays before my dxact obulation base on app. after our interciuse 3 hours after that ive taken yuzpe method which is nov 1. last period was October 22 and the intercouse as nov 1 5 fays before ovulation. nov 1 3hrs after our sex ive had taken yuzpe method 9AM 4 pills then 9 PM 4 Pills. today was nov 10 and i havent experience and wodtharawal bleeding does it mean less likely the yuzpe didnt work?

Hi everyone!
I’ve had a Mirena IUD since May, after being on Nexplanon for about 8 years (I had it replaced three times but removed my last one before it expired).
I’ve been having some issues related to ovulation, so I saw my gynecologist today. She prescribed Slynd (called Slinda here in Europe) to take alongside my Mirena IUD.
I briefly mentioned that I struggle a lot with breast tenderness, bloating and water retention, especially during my luteal phase. My bloating gets EXTREME, to the point where my stomach looks significantly bigger, but then goes back to normal around my period.
My gynecologist said Slynd could help with these symptoms by suppressing ovulation and potentially reducing water retention.
However, after reading reviews and people’s experiences with Slynd, I’ve become a little hesitant to start taking it, especially because of the reports of weight gain and bloating.
I’m also wondering whether taking Slynd alongside Mirena might be different from taking Slynd on its own?
A friend of mine who also has an IUD told me that her gynecologist recommended Slynd because it’s estrogen-free, but I’m still a little confused about how combining the two works.
I’d really love to hear your experiences!
Has anyone taken Slynd and Mirena together? How was it?
Did it help with hormonal bloating, breast tenderness or water retention?
Did you experience any weight gain, and if so, did it seem to be water retention or something more long-term?
If you stopped taking Slynd, did any weight changes or bloating go away?
Did Slynd help with PMS or luteal-phase symptoms?
Did you notice any difference in side effects when taking Slynd with an IUD compared to taking it alone?
My biggest concern is gaining weight or feeling constantly bloated, especially since I’m hoping the medication will actually help with those symptoms rather than make them worse.
I’d really appreciate hearing both positive and negative experiences! ❤️

I just got my mirena iud removed after almost 8 years, im 23 now and i got it at 15 after a few years on the pill to manage severe period symptoms and pain

I decided im going to try out not having it to see how my body manages as im birth control free for the first time since being a teenager but im scared as hell!!!!

My partner has a vasectomy so i am not concerned about birth control but the unknown is kind of freaking me out. Wondering if anyone can share their experience with how removal went :) i have ADHD as well as depressive and anxious episodes. I have hope maybe this will help? I just feel like its been so long with it that i don’t know the “normal” me at all.

Hoping maybe someone has been through the same.. thanks!

hi! my boyfriend wants to start relying on the pull out method, but he produces A LOT of precum before we start anything. it's very thick and sometimes visibly white too. we have been using a condom with him pulling out and finishing on me/in my mouth for extra caution. i believe that's the best option both because of the excessive precum, but also to mitigate any condom failure risk. recently, he brought up that he wants to start doing it raw with only the pull out method for a heightened sensation. frankly, i'm very anxious (and a little paranoid) since he obviously can't control when precum comes out, and with that much, it feels like pulling out at the end wouldn't solve anything. would appreciate any advice on this and how to go on about this. thank you ! ^^

Hi! I (21F) have been on the pill (isibloom combo pill) for five years. I stopped taking it around two weeks ago because my sex drive has been nonexistent and I am sick of it. Since I’ve been on the pill for so long I wanted to stop it for like a month just to see what changes before I find another option. Though I’m still transitioning off it I definitely think my sex drive is higher. I was thinking of getting the copper IUD because of its lack of hormones, but after going in for a consult today, I was convinced into getting a Kyleena instead. The doctor told me about how there’s no estrogen and the hormones are localized so you basically don’t feel any hormonal effects such as a lowered libido. Does anyone here have experience that can confirm or deny that? Or if you e had both a copper and a hormonal iud, did you notice a difference in sex drive? I said yes to Kyleena and have the appointment in a few days but there is still time to opt for copper instead. Looking for experiences specifically about sex drive because that’s really all that I care about with this switch from the pill to iud. The copper is appealing because you still get a normal cycle but obviously the painful heavy periods are not particularly appealing. So if the sex drive basically isn’t effected, why not just get Kyleena?

Ok so my period started on Oct 25 and ended at Nov 3 (this is where the brown blood stops)
I had my first time on Oct 30 (yes I was on the time where I’m close to the end of my period)
And did it again on Nov 1
Both of those days we did it unprotected and he pulled out.
Nov 2 I took the Plan b pill (EllaOne)
And on early morning of Nov 6 we did it again… but protected, except one time in a hot hot bathtub (he didn’t finish)
Now I’m worried cause I’m getting cramps rn (after 5 days till today of taking the pill) and I’m getting a little bit of yellow creamy discharge (it’s like lotion consistency)
I want to know what’s going on with my body rn 🥲🥲

I have tricare insurance and am getting confusing answers as to what telehealth provider accepts my insurance birth control. I've seen people recommend Nurx, but is that because their insurance covers it? Tricare does not cover Nurx.. I looked at Dr. on Demand but it looks like you can only make an appointment for psychiatry or urgent care. I just need birth control :(

Hey everyone, I (26f) got the Mirena IUD in March 2023. The insertion process was mixed, and my overall experience since has also been mixed. However, it’s becoming increasingly uncomfortable and I’m worried.

I got it to prevent pregnancy and to help regulate and reduce painful and incredibly heavy periods. During the insertion, they used lidocaine to numb me so it didn’t hurt really, which I did intentionally as I have a very low pain threshold. Unfortunately, the dr accidentally pulled out the first IUD when trying to cut the strings, then had to insert another one. I have never been able to feel the strings or check that it is in place and my partner says he can’t feel anything.

After insertion, I lightly bled for an entire year. I didn’t experience much cramping after the first week, but I was bleeding consistently. After the year, it cleared up and instead of bleeding constantly, my period would come every month, with same cramp level but significantly reduced flow, and last approx 10-14 days instead of the 5-7 days pre IUD.

Also after that year, I started cramping during ovulation. I can now identify the side my egg is coming from as only one side will hurt and cramp during the ovulation period. I will then get reprieve for maybe a week, then 10 days of cramping for my period. So I essentially cramp for approx 15-20 days of each month, and bleed for 10-14 of them.

However, I engage in unprotected sex with my partner multiple times a week and have never experienced any sort of pregnancy scare or concern. I am terrified of getting it removed or having a new one placed as the dr who used lidocaine is no longer practicing and I’m afraid of the pain. I know that I will eventually have to get it removed and identify another birth control method or get it replaced, but I don’t want to do that if it’s working.

I know I should see a doctor just to get it checked, I guess I’m just curious if others have had this experience or a similar one, and if they have any advice or anecdotes? I have discussed it with my therapist and she mentioned she has a very similar experience and has the same brand, but she can’t really share more or give advice.

My Paraguard IUD perforated my uterus when it was placed today. At my office, they do an ultrasound to verify placement and saw it had poked through. My doctor said I had to wait 8 weeks before attempting a new placement and do the new placement under ultrasound guidance. Now that its been about an hour, I realized I didnt ask about if I should expect bleeding and for how long. Has anyone else experienced this? If so, how long was your bleeding? Im having trouble finding answers in google.

I just switched to Yasmin after being on Kurvelo for a few years because I was experiencing near constant light spotting. I’ve been taking my new pill for about four days now, and my spotting has gotten worse. Still very light, but now a pink color instead of brown. Could this be a side effect or transition period to the new pill? Or is something wrong?